The 1926 General Strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted ten days, from 3 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening conditions for coal miners.

All very complicated, economic conditions following WWI leads to worsening conditions for coal workers, culminating in the General Strike. Classes divided over whether to support the strike or oppose it.

The cocktail is actually quite delicious, in an odd, “who knew gin and swedish punch would work together” kind of way. I recommend it! In it’s other incarnation, The Biffy Cocktail, I actually served it a couple years ago for a Tales of the Cocktail presentation about homemade ingredients. Everyone seemed to enjoy it at the time, and it’s another sweet-tart favorite of Mrs. Flannestad’s.

But, hey, cool! A poem by Idris Davies about the strike was what Pete Seeger used for his lyrics for the song Bells of Rhymney.

However, I suppose, covered most famously by the Byrds on their album, “Mr. Tambourine Man”.

I guess all you socialist worker sympathizers know what to put on, while drinking the cocktail! Maybe grab the Billy Bragg box set while you’re at it, and make a night of it. You lived to fight another day. As for you big business fat cats, I doubt you need much of an excuse to light a cigar and celebrate the collapse of the strike.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.